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David Brom set for supervised release after ax murders
A man convicted of killing his family in 1988 is set to be released from prison later. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has the full report.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minnesota man sentenced to life in prison for murdering his parents and younger siblings with an ax in 1988 at the age of 16 has been released from prison on work release.
David Brom work release
What we know:
The Minnesota Department of Corrections records show David Brom, now 53, has been assigned to work release as of July 29. He was previously held in the Lino Lakes prison.
Brom has served more than 35 years behind bars in his parents' murder. At a parole hearing in January, board members approved, on a 5-1 vote, a plan that would allow Brom to be granted work release as he continues his "step down" toward release.
FOX 9 reached out to the Minnesota Department of Corrections for additional information. A DOC spokesperson previously said Brom would be transferred to a Twin Cities halfway house and remain under supervision and GPS monitoring.
His case will be reviewed by the Supervised Release Board again in January.
Rochester ax murders
The backstory:
Brom was convicted by a jury in the slaying of his mother Paulette, his father Bernard, his younger sister Diane, and his younger brother Richard in Rochester, Minnesota.
All four bodies were discovered at the Brom household by Olmsted County deputies on the evening of Feb. 18, 1988. Deputies had responded after a friend reported to police that Brom had called him, saying he'd killed his family.
Investigators found all four victims with numerous gashes to the heads and upper body from an ax. David Brom was arrested the following day.
Brom pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness. At trial, four psychiatrists testified for the prosecution, with two finding Brom was not legally insane at the time of the crime. The defense presented a psychiatrist that found Brom didn't understand that killing his parents and siblings was wrong. All the psychiatrists agreed Brom suffered from some form of mental health issues, however.
A jury ultimately found Brom guilty in the murders, and he was sentenced to consecutive life sentences.
New Minnesota law
Big picture view:
A Minnesota law that went into effect last year ended life sentences for offenders convicted as children.
The law allows juvenile offenders sentenced to life to be fully eligible for parole after 15 years behind bars. Brom's move towards release is a result of that law change. The DOC says, under the new law, Brom became eligible for release retroactively as of 2018.
The Minnesota DOC says, under the old law, Brom would have had to serve a minimum of 51 years but would have been eligible for parole in 2037. With the law change, Brom became eligible for parole retroactively as of 2018.
The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting and information from the Minnesota Department of Corrections website.