The North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission recently made headlines by announcing the pending parole of Shashane Chambers, who has been serving a life sentence for a second-degree murder conviction dating back to 1994. The decision comes as part of the Mutual Agreement Parole Program (MAPP), which sets January 5, 2026, as Chambers’ release date. Details of the announcement can be found on the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s website, including the specifics of the MAPP, a collaborative effort involving scholarly and vocational preparation for the offender’s reintegration into society.
Shashane Chambers’ case, under the purview of the Guilford County Superior Court, sees the culmination of a lengthy period of incarceration starting on August 22, 1994, with a conviction for second-degree murder. In a system reformed by the Structural Sentencing Act, which abolished parole for offenses committed on or after October 1, 1994, Chambers remains a representation of an older regime. Despite these changes, the Parole Commission is tasked with the ongoing duty of negotiating parole for those sentenced under the old guidelines, as mentioned on the official website.
It is noteworthy that the Structured Sentencing laws have eliminated the option of parole for any crimes committed after the specified October 1994 cut-off. This legislation signaled a shift in the state’s approach to sentencing, focusing on definitive terms without the parole provision. Chambers, having been convicted before this pivotal legislative change, falls into a dwindling category of offenders who are still eligible for parole consideration under the former system…