GREENVILLE, PA. Board again considers Swiger's bid for parole

Swiger had been denied parole just one year ago.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
WARREN -- The full Ohio Parole Board will review Michael Swiger's latest bid for freedom.
Swiger, 35, is serving 21 to 53 years in the Ohio prison system for the slaying of a Munhall, Pa., man near Akron in 1988. He was convicted of kidnapping with a gun specification and involuntary manslaughter in 1990 and has made several bids to be released from prison since then.
It was just one year ago that the parole board turned down a bid for his release, telling him at the time that he would be freed Jan. 2, 2008, barring any disciplinary or other problems.
However, the board announced in August that it had received some new information from "local law enforcement regarding community attitude of this offender" and decided to give Swiger another parole hearing Thursday.
A board spokeswoman couldn't explain what that new information was, but Michael Pratt, brother of Roger "Butch" Pratt, the slain man, said he was told by the parole board that a number of letters had been received urging Swiger's early release from prison.
Pratt and his mother, Rose, opposed the early release and sent letters and petitions to the board supporting their position.
A board spokeswoman said that no immediate decision was made after the hearing Thursday and that the case was referred to central office board review. That's common in high profile cases, the spokeswoman said.
That means the entire parole board will review his file and then vote on the case. That vote will be taken by the end of this month, she said.
Others involved in crime
Swiger isn't the only one in prison for the murder of Pratt, who police said was killed to keep him from telling authorities what he knew about a furniture store arson and some burglaries in Greenville.
Swiger's older brother, Edward, 37, is serving 40 years to life for his 1990 charge of murder with a gun specification and kidnapping. He had been Pratt's roommate at Thiel College.
Linda Karlen, 50, is serving seven to 15 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and has been turned down several times for parole as well. However, her sentence is up in January 2005 and she must be released by Ohio.
Pennsylvania is waiting for all three, having convicted them of arson in the Greenville case. Karlen faces five to 10 years, Michael Swiger faces one to five years and Edward Swiger faces seven to 18 years.
Edward Swiger was also convicted of the Greenville burglaries and possession of implements of escape during the time he spent in Mercer County Jail in 1991.