Massachusetts Man Convicted as Teen Seeks Parole

John Odgren, who was 16 when he fatally stabbed 15-year-old classmate James Alenson at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in 2007, appeared before the Massachusetts Parole Board seeking a chance at release. Convicted of first-degree murder and originally sentenced to life without parole, Odgren became eligible for a hearing after court rulings barred such sentences for juvenile offenders. At the hearing, he expressed shame and described feeling paranoid and afraid before the killing; his attorney said she was not asking for his immediate freedom but believed he could be released to a state hospital. Alenson’s family testified about their continuing grief and the unanswered questions surrounding his death.