To the editor:

Shane Allen, who was on probation for a similar crime, is now linked to the death of Sabrina Frock. In December 2016, Allen pleaded no contest to aggravated battery of another young woman. He received two years of probation for holding the woman captive in his trailer for a week and repeatedly beating her. Allen had apparently violated his probation on numerous occasions without any attempt by authorities, until recently, to revoke his probation and send him to state prison.

District Attorney Charles Branson blamed Community Corrections for poorly supervising Allen’s probation. Branson said, “I demand an explanation.” I agree, but we also need an explanation from Branson. Why did he agree to a two-year probation for this heinous crime? Why were kidnapping charges dropped? Why wasn’t Allen charged with aggravated kidnapping? Why was Allen allowed to plead “no contest” instead of “guilty”? There may be reasonable explanations for Branson’s decisions; if so, he needs to provide them.

Nonetheless, Branson knew he was releasing a dangerous man into our community. Under these circumstances, Branson had a duty to monitor Community Corrections’ supervision of Allen.