Death-Row Inmate Paradis To Marry

Convicted killer Donald Paradis is getting married.

Paradis, 48, is scheduled to wed Vanessa Jae Sanford, 44, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the visitation room of the Idaho State Correctional Institution.

Department of Correction spokesman Mark Carnopis said the prison averages about four marriages a year. But Paradis’ sentence of life without parole will pose special challenges.

“There will be no conjugal visits. There will be no consummating the marriage,” Carnopis said. “They will probably be allowed the kiss following the ceremony.”

Carnopis had no information about how Paradis met Sanford. She lives in Boise. They filed their marriage license Feb. 5.

Paradis was sentenced to death for the 1980 murder of 19-year-old Kimberly Palmer of Spokane. Gov. Phil Batt commuted the death sentence to life in prison in May 1996, saying there was sufficient doubt about whether Paradis took part in the killing.