COLORADO SPRINGS — A woman convicted of dragging and killing a Colorado Springs tow truck driver was expected to be released from prison the first week of October after serving less than half of her sentence.
Now, the Community Corrections Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday, Oct. 16, to decide if they should re-review her release.
Detra Farries, 41, was sentenced to 20 years in prison back April of 2012 after being convicted of felony manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Tow truck driver Allen Rose was connecting Farries' SUV to his tow truck when she got in and drove away. His leg became tangled in the tow cables and Rose was dragged for more than a mile.
Jeff Lindsey, Chief Deputy District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District, said Farries was expected to enter an Arapahoe County Community Corrections Program as soon as Oct. 4.
Lindsey was the lead prosecutor in the criminal trial and said state lawmakers ought to consider how early releases of prisoners can hurt crime victims.
"They need to look at some type of truth in sentencing," Lindsey said. "When the judge says 20 years, and the victim hears 20 years, they're assuming it's going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years. We're not even half way there."
Lindsey contacted the Colorado Department of Corrections who gave him assurances that letters were sent to Rose's widow Renee Ward ahead of the hearing granting her an early release.
"She said that she didn't get them, and so she was pretty upset about that," Lindsey said.
The notification letters did not give an explanation as to why early release was granted.
If the board decides if should be looked into further, they will meet again on Nov. 21. If they decide to not re-review, her early release will still stand.
