(Woodland, CA) – July 27, 2020 On July 24, 2020, a two-commissioner panel of the Board of Parole Hearings denied parole to 42-year-old Gregory McKay who was sentenced to prison for 88 years-to-life in State Prison in 2004. At the time of the crime, McKay was a resident of Sacramento. The hearing commissioners were Maria Gutierrez and Norma Loza. The hearing took place at Mule Creek State Prison where McKay is serving his time.
On September 1, 2001, West Sacramento police officers were dispatched to a home in West Sacramento in reference to a possible assault with a deadly weapon. The victim stated he was inside the residence when a vehicle pulled into the driveway and continued past his house. The vehicle went to the end of the street, turned around, and headed back towards the house at a high rate of speed. The victim walked outside and was standing on the front lawn when three males exited the vehicle and walked towards him. He later identified the three suspects including Gregory McKay. McKay walked straight towards him, and the others circled around him. He felt as though he could not escape. McKay pulled a knife from his front right pocket and opened it. He made two swinging motions with the knife in an attempt to cut the victim in the stomach area. The victim stepped backwards to avoid being cut. McKay said, “I will slice you and stick you right here.” McKay then made threats to shoot by saying “I will blast your ass.” The trunk of the vehicle was open and the victim was unsure if there was a gun inside. The victim’s mother, who was also outside, indicated she was going to call police, and the men left the scene. The victim obtained the vehicle’s license plate number. Two hours later, officers were dispatched to a brandishing of a firearm call involving a matching vehicle. The three subjects were located leaving an apartment complex, McKay was driving. He showed objective signs of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and breathalyzer test results were .206 BAC. The victim positively identified McKay. A knife was recovered from inside the vehicle and was also identified by the victim.
The hearing took nearly three hours and after the commissioners deliberated Commissioner Gutierrez stated that McKay would still pose a continued risk to public safety should he be released from prison. Commissioner Gutierrez commented in denying McKay’s release that while he has shown some growth in education and some positive institutional programming he still lacks relevant programming including anger management, NA/AA and criminal thinking. She further stated he is still showing areas of minimization and he’s engaged in repeated rules violations, one as recent as February of this year, and has been involved in gang activities and fights during his incarceration. She also noted that he represented a High Risk for violence according to psychologist Dr. Wendy Weiss.
Yolo County Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Melinda Aiello represented the Yolo District Attorney’s Office at the hearing by video conference, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig commented on the parole denial: “Our office is committed to representing the interests of victims’ families and public safety at these parole hearings, and when it’s appropriate we argue against the release of inmates who are a danger to the public.”
McKay will be eligible for parole again in 2025.
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