Parole Denied for Killers of Severin and Rizzato

Severin               Rizzato

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation (CPMF) honored two of our fallen today by opposing the release of inmates Johnny Veal and George Knights for the July 17, 1970 murders of Sgt. James Severin and P.O. Anthony Rizzato.

On Thursday, June 30th, the CPMF chartered a bus and brought 28 uniformed Chicago police officers to the office of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board (IPRB) in Springfield for the inmates' en banc hearings.  As a show of support for P.O. Rizzato and Sgt. Severin, the officers packed the room and listened to the facts of the case presented by the IPRB.  Following this brief presentation, the motion to deny parole for each offender was given to the panel for their votes.  The board voted unanimously to deny parole for both Knights and Veal.  In each case, a second motion was made which would prevent the inmates from seeking parole for three years instead of their annual request.  With only one opposing vote, the motion for a three-year set carried!

Thank you to the officers who attended these hearings.  You saw firsthand why it's so important to honor our fallen and send the message to the IPRB that we will never forget!

Follow these links to leave reflections for P.O. Anthony Rizzato and Sgt. James Severin.