The Weight of a Second Chance: Joyette Holmes on Parole, Justice, and a Career of Firsts

Five people decide when someone comes home. Joyette Holmes is one of them.In this episode of Justice Unfiltered, host Tug Cowart sits down with Joyette Holmes, Chair of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, for an honest conversation about second chances, the weight of parole decisions, and a career built on firsts. Daniel Matalon, CEO of A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds, was unable to join in studio for this one.A Valdosta native appointed to the parole board by Governor Brian Kemp, Holmes has held nearly every seat in Georgia's justice system: public defender, prosecutor, chief magistrate judge, and Cobb County District Attorney, where she became the first Black woman and first woman to hold both roles. In September 2025, she became the second Black woman ever to chair the state parole board.Tug and Joyette get into what the board actually does (everything happens after a conviction, there is no formula, and in Georgia parole is not a right), why real second chances take a whole community of employers, treatment providers, and partners like A 2nd Chance, and why something as small as a backpack can change a kid's path. Holmes also opens up about leading the early stages of the Ahmaud Arbery prosecution, why she had to remove public sentiment to get it right for the family, and a story of forgiveness that stuck with her.It's a warm, honest, and genuinely joyful conversation about service, redemption, and the people behind the decisions.Hosted by Tug Cowart and Daniel Matalon, CEO of A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds and A 2nd Chance Monitoring.Listen to ALL episodes of the Justice Unfiltered Podcast here: https://www.thepodcastpark.com/justiceunfiltered/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.