Parole Board Orders Rescission Hearing for Convicted Murderer James Dennis Lynch

The California Board of Parole Hearings has ordered a rescission hearing for James Dennis Lynch, the convicted murderer, rapist, and torturer responsible for the 1996 killing of 75-year-old Stockton resident Hilda Armanino Boggiano.

Lynch was convicted in connection with the brutal attack that shocked the Stockton community and has remained incarcerated for nearly three decades. Earlier this year, a parole panel voted to grant Lynch parole. In response, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas submitted a formal objection to Governor Gavin Newsom, urging intervention based on the nature of the crime and ongoing public safety concerns.

Governor Newsom subsequently referred the matter back to the Board of Parole Hearings for an en banc review, requiring the full Board to reconsider the parole grant before a final decision could be made.

At yesterday’s en banc hearing, the Board could have upheld the original decision granting parole. Instead, the Board directed that Lynch receive a rescission hearing, where concerns raised by the victim’s family and District Attorney Freitas will be further examined. During that hearing, the Board will determine whether there is good cause to postpone or cancel Lynch’s parole date.

According to prior parole hearing records, Lynch has indicated plans to relocate to the Sacramento region if released.

“The brutal depravity of James Dennis Lynch’s crimes can never be undone, and his release would pose an immediate, unacceptable and very dangerous threat to every neighborhood in California. I’m proud that my regional partners are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with my office, alongside the victim’s family, to demand that the Parole Board keep this dangerous offender behind bars. The safety of our communities must outweigh any argument for release.”

District Attorney Freitas and his office remain committed to advocating for the rights of crime victims and ensuring that public safety remains the paramount consideration in parole decisions involving violent offenders.

Additional information regarding the date and time of the rescission hearing will be shared as it becomes available.

Lynch remains in custody.