Forsyth denied parole

Jerry Forsyth, convicted for the 1979 murder of his wife, Karen, will spend at least five more years in prison.

The State Board of Pardons and Parole on Tuesday denied Forsyth's parole application after considering testimony heard last week.

"The abhorrent nature of [the] offense… and the strong objection from criminal justice authorities and/or citizenry, demonstrates that there is reasonable probability that [Forsyth] cannot be released at this time without being a detriment to [himself] or the community," board members wrote in their decision.

Forsyth's release "would not be in the best interest of society," the board's decision continued.

The decision to deny Forsyth parole was supported by Karen's friends and family.

"We… are so very grateful to everyone who wrote letters to the Board of Pardons and Parole to keep Jerry Forsyth in prison," said Karen's sister, Sharon Snell. "It's the people's involvement and concern that makes our system work."

In addition, Flathead County Attorney Ed Corrigan traveled to Deer Lodge to ask the board to keep Forsyth incarcerated.

Forsyth stood trial three times for the murder. He was convicted in his third trial and sentenced to 110 years in prison.

Karen was shot to death at the couple's Kalispell bowling alley, where Forsyth was found with a superficial head injury. He said an intruder had shot his wife, knocked him out, and robbed their business.

However, an employee of the bowling alley, facing an unrelated charge, later testified that he and Forsyth had planned the murder, executed it and then covered it up.

Forsyth's first murder conviction, on April 16, 1980, was overturned by the Supreme Court two years later because the sentencing judge did not include the legal definition of murder in instructions to the jury.

A second trial, held in Polson in December 1982, resulted in a deadlocked jury. The trial was held outside Flathead County because of publicity surrounding Forsyth's case.

A third trial, held in Flathead County with a Toole County jury in December 1985, brought another conviction.

Forsyth has served 23 years in prison. His next parole hearing will be in September 2012.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com