BOZEMAN — Barry Beach, who served 30 years for a murder conviction he disputes, will soon end his probationary term. The sentence was commuted by former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, initially a proponent of Beach’s life imprisonment.
During a conference by Montana Free Press, Beach revealed his probation ends on Nov. 17. “The notification came out this morning on the Victim Information Network that Barry Beach is about to be released from probation,” he stated at Montana State University, to audience applause.
In 1984, Beach was sentenced to 100 years for the 1979 murder of Kimberly Nees. Though he confessed following a seven-hour Louisiana interrogation, he later recanted. Beach was tried in Montana, with Marc Racicot prosecuting, who later opposed Beach’s clemency.
Several crime details did not match Beach. A bloody handprint and footprints near the crime scene did not belong to him. Despite this, Beach says, “There are no forensic matches in any way.” He criticized the shifting theories about the bloody palm print, stressing the need for forensic accuracy in Montana’s justice system.
Centurion Ministries, an advocacy group for the wrongly convicted, highlighted Beach’s case in 2008. The story was also featured on NBC’s “Dateline,” questioning Beach’s guilt based on new evidence Centurion presented.
Beach was never exonerated, but his case prompted a change in Montana law, granting the governor sole clemency authority. This change reduced parole board power, previously blocking Beach’s parole attempts.
Gov. Bullock, initially against Beach’s release, ultimately commuted his sentence in 2015. Beach credits Democrats for convincing Bullock to act.
At the Free Press Fest, Beach spoke with Marcia Price, a long-time friend involved in his release efforts. Price recalled their emotional day when Beach was asked to return to prison in 2013, despite living freely for 18 months.
Centurion had fought for Beach’s retrial based on new evidence. Although initially denied, a district judge later overturned his conviction. However, the state Supreme Court in 2013 reversed this, sending him back to prison until his 2015 release by clemency.
Beach advocates for reforming the corrections system, suggesting longer minimum prison terms and a maximum of 25 years to ensure effective rehabilitation. “If you can’t reform them within 25 years, you have failed,” Beach noted, emphasizing the cost to taxpayers.
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