Kern man convicted of murdering child granted parole, again

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Three years after his grant of parole was reversed by the governor, a Kern County man who killed his girlfriend’s 20-month-old son has again been determined ready to rejoin society.

Michael Todd Panella, 53, was granted parole on Oct. 2 by the state’s Board of Parole Hearings, according to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records.

Panella will be released unless Gov. Gavin Newsom reverses the decision — as he did in 2021.

A jury in October 2000 found Panella guilty of first-degree murder and assault of a child under 8 resulting in death. He was sentenced to 25 years to life.

The slain child suffered dozens of bruises to his hips, head, face and extremities, as well as “extreme trauma” to the small bowel, according to court filings. He died from multiple blunt impacts to his abdomen, which caused internal bleeding and dehydration.

Panella became eligible for elderly parole as a result of amendments passed by the state legislature in 2020 that reduced requirements for inmates who were at least 50 and had served 20 years of their sentence.

Previously, the law required inmates to be at least 60 and serve a minimum of 25 years of their sentence.

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