NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Parole remains in the balance for a woman convicted of killing a Brentwood Police Department officer in 2020.
Ashley Kroese was sentenced to eight years in prison for the death of Destin Legieza after driving head-on into his police vehicle in front of the Brentwood Market on Franklin Road. Legieza died at the scene, and he is the only officer to ever die on duty in the department's 50-year history.
After her conviction, Kroese took the stand and apologized for her actions. She spoke about her dream to move to the United States from France and told the judge she accepted the jury's decision. During her trial in 2022, Kroese waived her right to testify.
At Thursday morning’s initial parole hearing, board member Zane Duncan voted to decline parole due to the seriousness of the offense and recommended her case be reviewed again in March 2027.
However, the seven-member board will now independently review the case and cast their votes. Other board members can either adopt, reject or modify Duncan’s recommendation. For this particular case, there needs to be four concurring votes for a final decision to be reached, according to the Tennessee Board of Parole.
Their decision is expected within a couple of weeks.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
