LOS ANGELES—Hampig Sassounian was denied parole on August 5, when a parole board panel meeting at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo ruled that he would be up again in 2013.
Sassounian was convicted in 1984 of the alleged assassination of Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles, Kemal Arikan. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. In 2002 a federal appeals court overturned the special circumstances finding, making Sassounian eligible for parole.
Representing Sassounian at the hearing was his attorney Mark Geragos. Also appearing on Sassounian’s behalf was former Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Armand Arabian.
Also attending the parole hearing was a representative of the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations.