Addicted veteran pardoned by GOP's Bevin dies from apparent overdose days later

A drug-addicted veteran died from an apparent overdose days after his sentence was commuted by outgoing Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.

Bryan Bishop was among 336 low-level drug offenders released from prison Dec. 18 by Bevin in one of his last acts as governor, but his family worried that he might relapse without a structured environment, reported the Courier-Journal.

"I obviously wanted him out," said his attorney, Casey McCall. "But when I talked to his mom, we knew this was going to be a problem."

Bishop had been on probation since April on heroin and methamphetamine charges, but he was kicked out of two different treatment programs in 60 days after relapsing.

He apparently relapsed again after Bevin's order freed him from jail, and Bishop was found dead by police about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 27 at a hotel from an apparent overdose.

All 12 state prisons are full and at least 36 Kentucky jails are packed beyond 138 percent capacity, and the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet gave Bevin a list of 336 prisoners jailed only for possession of a controlled substance.

The cabinet then attached a proposed executive order commuting their remaining sentences, on the condition that they not commit another felony offense.

Bevin signed the order, and Bishop and hundreds of others were freed from jail.

Prosecutors in Jefferson County said proper steps were being taken to release Bishop only after a treatment and supervision program had been set up, but his attorney wished he'd been placed in the veterans court program and assigned a probation officer -- who could have enforced regular drug testing, curfew checks and home visits.

“Would it work?" McCall said. "Could he have OD’d with structure? Sure, but it would have given him a much better chance."