The man convicted of the 1974 murder of a Delta police officer is being given another chance at parole.
Elery Long, who is now 69, is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in the killing of S/Sgt. Ron McKay.
In November 1974. McKay, 47, was one of several officers responding to a public complaint against the local biker, who was well known to police. The officers went to Long's Tsawwassen home and as McKay approached the house Long opened his front door and shoved a sawed-off shotgun into the officer's stomach. A number of young police officers looked on in disbelief as the senior officer, who was standing with his hands in his pockets, was shot.
Long has said he was intoxicated at the time and the gun went off accidentally.
He was convicted of first-degree murder in May 1975 and sentenced to death. The death penalty in Canada was abolished in 1976 and Long's sentence was commuted to life in
prison. Long was previously granted full parole in 2002, but had his release revoked in 2006 due to breaches of his conditions. He was denied full parole in January 2012, but has been on day parole and living at a community residential facility with few issues for the last four years.
According to the parole board decision from his hearing earlier this month, Long has been assessed at a low to moderate risk to re-offend.
The board also notes in its decision that Long has had a sustained period of sobriety and lack of violence, successfully completed several years of day parole, has an adequate pension income and his case management team supports his release.
"... the Board concludes you do not currently present an undue risk to society by reoffending and full parole will contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration as a law-abiding citizen."
Long's release comes with a number of conditions, including that he: not consume, purchase or possess alcohol or drugs other than prescribed and overthe-counter medications taken as recommended; not to associate with any person he knows, or as reason to believe, is involved in criminal activity; immediately report all relationships and friendships with females to his parole supervisor; and, no direct or indirect contact with any member of the victim's family.
