Michael Jacksonfound guilty of murder in 2006may be released before his projected parole date of July 20, 2011.
Windy City Times reported that on Feb. 4, 2005, taxi driver Haroon Paryani and Jackson, an openly gay former employee of the Chicago Department of Public Health, became embroiled in an argument over cab fare. The situation culminated with Jackson running over Paryani three times with the driver's own vehicle. On Aug. 20, 2006, a jury of nine women and three men found Jackson guilty of second-degree murder, and he received a sentence of 15 years.
Jackson currently is an inmate at Logan Correctional Center. Logana medium-security prison for adult males in Lincoln, Ill.opened in 1978 and has a capacity of 1,050 individuals.
Speculation abounded that Jackson would actually be released this week. When Windy City Times asked attorney Tom Breen ( who represented Jackson during the trial ) July 16 about the rumors, he said that it "was news to" him. He did say, however, that Jackson could be released to a halfway house until the parole date.
Jackson's father, Larry, was also surprised by the statement. However, he told Windy City Times July 19 that Michael has earned some time off for good behavior and that he could be released early next year.