John Steven Burgess, the sex offender who was convicted in the death of a San Diego State University nursing student, entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to charges that include violating parole and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition.

Burgess pleaded guilty in 2009 to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jou and was sentenced to five years in state prison. Due to good time credits, Burgess was release last December after serving approximately half of his five year sentence.

When a person is released early from prison, they are released on parole. Parole is, essentially, an extension of prison that allows a convicted felon to live and work in the community under supervision from the Department of Corrections. This supervision typically depends on what a parolee’s conviction was for, but can include regular reporting to a parole officer, drug testing, drug offender registration, sex offender registration, and being subject to search and seizures at any time, even without probable cause.

When a parolee violates any term or condition of their parole, they are taken into custody on a no-bail hold until they see a judge. A parolee is entitled to a formal hearing and is also entitled to have legal representation, which is highly recommended. Each violation of parolee can expose someone to up to 1 year in prison.

If someone you know has been charged with violating parole in the Los Angeles, Mid City, Beverly Hills or Metro areas, contact Attorney Ross Erlich at (818) 783-5700